The Atlanta Braves, a team that came into 2025 with championship expectations and bullpen depth that looked shaky from day one, are once again shaking the trade tree before April’s even halfway done.
This time, Rafael Montero is plucked from the Astros in exchange for a player to be named later. Oh, and some cash is coming Atlanta’s way, too—reportedly most of Montero’s bloated contract.
Montero is not the reliever he once was. In 2022, the guy was lights out. A 2.37 ERA, 1.5 fWAR, and a 27% strikeout rate had Astros fans celebrating every time he trotted in from the pen. But since putting pen to paper on that three-year, $34.5 million deal?
It’s been a downhill sprint. His ERA is pushing 5.00, and he’s earned the second-worst fWAR among all relievers with 100+ innings since 2023. That’s not just struggling—that’s sinking.
A Braves Bullpen in Chaos
Atlanta’s bullpen issues haven’t just been minor hiccups. The Braves are ranked 21st in bullpen ERA through the first ten games. Plus, they are giving up home runs at a rate that only two other teams have exceeded.
In that short time, they’ve already DFA’d Hector Neris and Jesse Chavez—two veterans expected to provide stability in the middle innings.
Clearly, the Braves’ front office is done waiting for things to self-correct. Alex Anthopoulos is taking a swing, hoping Montero still has some juice left. But this isn’t a move born of luxury—this is one born of necessity.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
So why Montero? There are a few reasons, even if they come with caveats. His 2025 strikeout rate sits at a promising 31.3%—a bounce-back from last year’s abysmal 14% clip. That’s good.
But it’s across just four innings, and he’s still handing out walks like Halloween candy. That’s bad. Add in a track record of giving up crucial home runs, and you’ve got a reliever whose confidence may be just as unstable as his metrics.
Montero has the velocity. He has the experience. But does he have the control? That’s the $11.5 million question—the amount he’s still owed this season. The Astros clearly had seen enough and were willing to eat most of the contract just to move on.
Just Another Name on the Carousel?
This isn’t the first time the Braves have taken a low-risk flyer on a struggling reliever, and it likely won’t be the last.
For all his past success, Montero enters a bullpen that’s already been in full spin-cycle mode since Opening Day. He’s not walking into a stable environment—he’s walking into a unit that’s desperate for anything resembling reliability.
While it’s entirely possible he can outperform Zach Thompson or eat innings without imploding; Montero shouldn’t expect to pitch in high-leverage spots anytime soon. If he fails to show progress quickly, he could be off the roster just as fast as he arrived.
This move is less about faith in Montero and more about taking a chance on a once-great arm—because when your bullpen is on fire, even a flicker of past brilliance looks like hope.
